Flashlight holder



g- 7, 1951' .R. MICEK 2,563,410

FLASHLIGHT HOLDER Filed Aug. 16, 1948 yzr/i Patented Aug. 7, 1951 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE This invention relates to an improved flashlight holder especially designed for use as an automobile accessory although, however, the device will be found convenient and adaptable for home use, or in any other instance where it may be desired to adjustably support a conventional flashlight so that the beam thereof may be trained upon the work at hand.

The objects of the invention are to provide a holder adapted to serve as a stand for the flashlight, wherein the flashlight may be adjustably tilted upon the stand to direct the beam of the flashlight either up or down as may be desired, wherein the stand will embody a substantially semi-circular sleeve to removably accommodate the flashlight, wherein said sleeve will be composed of a pair of jaws so connected that the presence of the flashlight between the jaws will serve to tension the connection coupling the jaws so that the jaws will thus be caused to grip the flashlight, wherein each jaw will carry a pair of coasting foldable legs, and wherein the jaws may be readily separated so that the device may be collapsed to form only two major sections which may be packed in minimum space and, if so desired, carried in the usual glove compartment in the dash of an automobile.

Other and incidental objects will appear during the course of the following description of the invention, and in the drawings:

Figure l is a perspective view of my improved flashlight holder showing, in dotted lines, a conventional flashlight in position thereon.

Figure 2 is a plan view of the holder.

Figure 3 is a side elevation.

Figure 4 is an end elevation.

Figure 5 is a section on the line 5--5 of Figure 2, the flashlight being shown.

Figure 6 is an inverted perspective view of the two jaws of the flashlight gripping-sleeve of the device.

Figure '7 is a fragmentary section showing the connection between one of the sleeve-jaws and its pair of legs, the parts being separated.

Figure 8 is a fragmentary elevation of the head of one of the legs.

Figure 9 is a fragmentary section showing a modification of the connection seen in Figure '7.

In carrying the invention into effect, I employ a substantially semi-circular sleeve, indicated as a whole at II]. This sleeve comprises, as best seen in Figure 6 of the drawings, a pair of companion jaws II and I2 respectively, each more or less arcuate in cross section. These jaws are preferably stamped from suitable resilient sheet metal, and adhesively or otherwise secured to the inner sides thereof near the ends of each jaw are pads I3 of felt or the like.

As perhaps best shown in Figure 5 of the drawings, the lower margins of the jaws II and I2 extend somewhat tangentially to the curvature,

of said jaws, and formed on the lower edge of the jaw i I are straight longitudinally spaced tongues M which are resilient, while the jaw I2 is provided at its lower margin with a corresponding number,

of mating slots l5 adapted to removably receive said tongues.

may be freely inserted through the slots: l5, after which the jaws are swung apart to form the sleeve In. vided between the jaws.

Each of the jaws l l and I 2 carries a pair of mating legs comprising an inner leg l6 and an outer leg ll, both preferably stamped from suitable resilient sheet metal. The leg |6 is formed at its upper end with a head l8 and at its outer longitudinal edge with a flange l9, while the leg I! is formed at its upper end with a head 20 and at its inner longitudinal edge with a flange 2 I. Formed in the lower ends of both legs are open:

ings 22.

As the connections between the pairs of legs 20 of the coacting leg I! is a pivot bolt 21 preferably provided with a wing nut 28. Interposed between said nut and the head 2|] is a spring 29. Thus, the nut 28 may be tightened to tension the spring 29 and clamp the parts together, the spring being adapted to accommodate relative swinging movement of the legs i6 and I! so that the ribs 26 may ride over the ribs 24. Normally, however, the ribs will serve to releasably lock the legs in angular adjusted position.

It is now to be noted, sa in connection with the jaw II as typical, that when the legs l6 and I! thereof are swung apart, the forward inner edge of the head 20 of the leg I! is, as best seen in Figures 1 and 3 of the drawings, adapted to engage the upper end of the flange [9 of the leg 16 for limiting the legs in angular spread position so that the legs may not move The jaws are assembled by first swinging the upper longitudinal margins of, the jaws toward each other so that the tongues I 4 A freely separable connection is thus proapart into aligned collapsed relation. However, as will be appreciated, the legs may be swung together into overlapping folded relation, when the flange 2! of the outer leg I! will abut the flange IQ of the inner leg I6 for limiting the legs in folded position.

As particularly seen in Figures 1 and 5 of the drawings, the sleeve I is adapted to removably accommodate a flashlight, conventionally shown at 3B. fl hejaws H and I2 of the sleeve" are so fashioned that the flashlight may be inserted between the upper edges of said jaws and pressed downwardly to rest between the jaws upon the pads l3 to be protected against scufiing thereby.

Moreover, the presence of the flashlight betweenthe jaws will serve to spread the jaws apart somewhat, with the result that thetong'ues' P4- of the jaw II will be flexed and thus tensioned in the slots [5 of the jaw I2. The tongues will accordingly serve notonly to detachably conieftth' ji iw' pr sl i is 'fi a a s as resilient elements functioning to clamp the flashlight 30 between the jaIws1 :H aviiig' posit iledthe flashlight 36 iii the sleeve flfi, the" legs {5* andQl-l of the respective pair's='there'of may be spread apart to provide means whereby, through the medium of any one of said holes, the stand and'fiashlight may be hung pon a branchof a bush or the like, when the flashlight may be adjusted as desired. 4 As 'prev-ibusly'pointe'd out, the presence of the flashlight 30' between the jaws" H and I2 binds the jaws together to provide the stand for" the flashlight and, as will now be perceived, this] standis formed of mating detachably" connectedsctions each" comprising a jaw and a pair of pair of legs l6 and 11. Thus, after the flashlight is r'emoved, the jaws may be separated, when the folded-'le'g s of each jaw maybe swung into parallel relation thereto. The two sepa r'a't'ed' se'otiorismay accordingly be brought to- As will- 4 gether to occupy small space and, if so desired, packed in the glove compartment of an automobile along with the flashlight.

In Figure 9 of the drawings, I have shown a V slight modification in the connection between a tween; means detachably connecting said jaws witheach other and tensioned by spreading of the jaws by the flashlight to grip the flashlight between the' jaws a pair of swingingly adjustable legs carried by each jaw, the legs of said pairs being adapted to be spread apart to form a stand for the flashlight flanges on said legs for limiting the legs of each pair in romiea'oven lapping relation, and a head carried by oneil'egf of' each pair to engage the flange of the other leg of eachpair for limiting'the legs" of thepalirS" in spread position.

2. a flashlight holder including a stand com-r} prising a sleeve adapted to'reoeivea flashlightf therein and formed. ofconipanion jaws, legs" piv otally connected to said jaws and supporting the sleeve f or swinging adjustment to tilttlie flashlight, and means slidably connecting the jawsf with each other and'ireeIy separable to permit'i the stand to be collapsed in mating sections each comprising a' j aw and leg; W H M RICHARD MICEK.

REFERENCES or-rEn The following references, of record in th file of this patent: l

- 'UNI'I-ED'S'I-A-TES PATEN IS 

